Tag: Christina Britton

A Duke Worth Fighting For by Christina Britton

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

A Duke Worth Fighting For (Isle of Synne, #3)A Duke Worth Fighting For by Christina Britton

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Isle of Synne, #3

Release Date: August 24, 2021

The last thing Daniel Hayle ever wanted was to be the Duke of Carlisle, but with the death of his beloved brother, the title fell to him. Daniel knows that he needs to marry and beget an heir as soon as possible. Always a bit socially inept and now horribly scarred and suffering from PTSD (thanks to Waterloo), the thought of going to London fills him with dread. So when his mother suggests he visit her good friend on the Isle of Synne so he can ease back into society, he jumps at the chance, maybe he will find a wife who can overlook his scars long enough to produce an heir.

Widow Margery Kitteridge lives on Synne with her grandmother, Viscountess Tesh, and is still mourning the death of her husband Aaron. Unlike most HR widows, Margery actually loved her husband, loved him so much that she defied her father to marry him and was disowned and when he died, she vowed to never marry again. She is horrified when she receives a letter insinuating that Aaron didn’t die honorably and threatens to expose his “cowardness” to the papers if Margery doesn’t pay the sum of £100. Margery doesn’t have the money and doesn’t want to ask any of her friends, so when socially awkward Daniel shows up, looking for a bride, Margery sees an opportunity to make the money. She offers to help Daniel navigate society and find a bride, for the very reasonable sum of £100!

This was another well-written installment of the Isle of Synne Series featuring a grieving widow and a scarred hero. The story has a definite “Beauty and the Beast” vibe, but it is more than that, it has blackmail, a heroine who truly loved (and still loves) her late husband, a hero who had insecurities long before he was scarred, a lot of emotion, very mild love scenes, cameos from previous characters, matchmaking relatives, all leading up to their HEA. The book was good, but not my favorite in the series, I liked Margery and Daniel, but I found their story very easy to put down, as I felt that it was a bit bland and slow-paced. This is the third book in the series and could be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Someday My Duke Will Come by Christina Britton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Someday My Duke Will Come (Isle of Synne, #2)
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Isle of Synne #2
Publication Date: 1/12/21
Number of Pages: 400

How wonderful to find a book with a hero that you absolutely adore from the first page to the last. He was just perfect. I loved him in the last book, A Good Duke Is Hard to Find, and that just increased with this book. He is the loveliest, most honorable, steadfast, gentleman you could want to meet. We should all have the opportunity to know a Quincy at least once in our lifetime. I loved Clara as well, but she did get on my nerves after a while because she just needed to let go long before she did. Anyway, the book is wonderfully delivered, the story is compelling, all of the characters are delightful, and the epilogue is to-die-for. Definitely an excellent read and even though it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

We met and loved Lady Clara Ashford in the first book, and we learned much of her backstory. We also learn that backstory in this book, but in more detail than before. Because of her past, Clara has decided to never marry – and she is very, very, very adamant about that. No matter how much she might be attracted to Quincy, she’ll never let her heart belong to him and even if it did, she’d never marry him. Clara’s life is a bit of a conundrum at the moment because she doesn’t know where she belongs anymore nor does she know where her future lies. She’s spent her entire life – since the age of nine, taking care of her family – being a mother to her younger siblings and acting as hostess and then caregiver for her father. Now that her father and her brother have died and her sister is marrying in a few weeks, she wonders where that will leave her. She’s trying desperately to find a place for herself – to be helpful – to be of use. She needs to be useful. Her plan is to stay with her cousin, who inherited her father’s title, but over the weeks leading up to her sister’s wedding, she finds she isn’t really needed by any of them. She cannot marry because of her past – so what is left for her?

When we last saw Quincy Nesbitt, he was getting ready to board a ship to head back to America where he intended to sell off his remaining business and begin the travels that he and his father had dreamed of. On a whim, his first stop is back in England where he intends to visit with his friend and former partner, Peter Ashford, the new Duke of Dane. Little does he know what he’ll be walking into with his ‘real’ family. Oh! My! Goodness! Quincy is actually the fourth son of the Duke of Reigate – and he ran away from home at the age of fourteen when his father died. His mother despised him and his older brothers didn’t care for him either – so, when he overheard his mother planning to send him into the Navy, he gathered his courage and ran away. Now, when he goes to his old home to say a forever goodbye to his mother and brothers, he gets shocking news. News that can/will change his entire future.

Clara and Quincy have been attracted to each other from the moment they met, but neither would ever act upon it because they each had their futures planned. Now, a year later, Quincy has returned and they are thrown together more and more. Clara is wonderful at assuaging Quincy’s anger and agitation at the changes thrust upon him – and he treats her with such care and gentleness. It is delightful to see these two wounded souls help each other through upsetting and troubling times. Clara always leapt to Quincy’s defense and Quincy did all he could to bring Clara out of her shell where she could find joy in life again. They are absolutely perfect for each other and I enjoyed watching them grow into their HEA.

As I mentioned earlier, the Epilogue was absolutely perfect. Set several years into the future, it showed perfectly how their love had grown and flourished. I was left with a question though – whatever happened to the nasty duchess? No mention of her after her last departure from James’ home. I REALLY wanted to know that Quincy had exacted revenge of some sort – even if it was just moving her to a tiny dower house on some remote property.

I can definitely recommend this book and I’ll tell you this author is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.